


Bound

by callantry



Series: hopelessly gay abnormals [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Non-Binary Character, Character's Name Spelled as Hanji, Minor Original Character(s), Misgendering, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25795069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callantry/pseuds/callantry
Summary: Hanji injures themself on a mission outside the walls. While tending to them, Levi learns that the injury came from binding. He does his own research to ensure Hanji won't get injured like that again.-----Levi saw the bandages beneath their undershirt. “Why are you already bandaged?” he said. “They didn’t treat you out in the field. There’s no time for that.”“Levi,” Hanji said, barely above a whisper. “I’ll explain later.”He looked up to meet their brown eyes. Through the pain still clouding them, he saw a desperation that he didn’t understand. But he elected not to question it. “Understood,” he said. “These bandages have to come off, though. I think it would be easiest if I cut through the shirt and the bandages. You shouldn’t move if you don’t have to.” Levi held their gaze for a moment longer. “Is that okay?”
Relationships: Levi & Hange Zoë, Levi/Hange Zoë
Series: hopelessly gay abnormals [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867930
Comments: 6
Kudos: 98





	Bound

Captain Levi’s squad caught up with the Commander as they approached the gate back to the city. 

“Levi,” Erwin called.

“Be back in a moment,” the captain said to Petra and Eld. “See to it that you get your wounds tended to. An infection’s no good for us.”

The squad members nodded, and Levi rode over to Erwin.

“Commander,” he said. Erwin didn’t usually conference with him until they were back inside the gates. Usually, he was talking to– “Where’s Hanji?” 

“Injured.” Erwin’s blue gaze leveled with him. 

Levi glanced back at the carts still approaching. The first to return carried those too injured to return on horseback, while later carts brought what they could find of the dead. “Do you know what happened?”

Erwin followed Levi’s gaze. “I’m not entirely sure, but it looked like something went wrong with their 3DMG.”

Levi frowned. “Not an injury by titan then?”

“As far as I know.”

“Permission to accompany the injured, Commander,” Levi said. 

Erwin’s gaze clouded with an emotion Levi couldn’t pinpoint. “Granted.” Levi turned his horse and rode towards the first cart before Erwin could say anything else to him.

Moblit was driving the first cart, so Levi didn’t waste time trying to guess where Hanji was. 

“Captain,” Moblit called out as he approached. “What brings you back here?”

Levi didn’t answer. He saw Hanji lying near the rear of the cart, and circled around so that he was riding parallel to them at the rear left wheel. “Hanji,” he called.

“Levi?” they said. “Why are–”

“You check your equipment before you head out, right?” he said. “That’s basic protocol.”

“Levi,” they repeated. “Sorry– I can’t sit up. What’re you on about?”

He had gotten ahead of himself. “What happened?”

They didn’t answer for a moment. “It wasn’t– my equipment was fine. It’s my own fault.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Levi asked.

“Not now,” Hanji said.

“We can’t lose someone like you to a stupid mistake–”

“I said not now, Captain.” He heard them wince after making that concerted effort. “Return to your squad.”

“Is that an order?” Levi asked. When they didn’t answer, he said, “Erwin granted me permission to accompany the injured through the city.”

Hanji remained silent. Levi maintained his post through the gates, and through the weaving streets of the city. He stared straight ahead, stealing momentary glances towards Hanji. Seeing their chest rise and fall, he would return his gaze to the path ahead.

Once back at the base, Levi assisted Moblit in moving Hanji to an infirmary bed. “Back injury,” he realized aloud.

“Maybe ribs,” Hanji managed to say once stationary. They sucked a breath through their teeth. “Hurts to breathe.”

“I’ll see to their treatment,” Levi said to Moblit. “Continue transporting the injured. Some of my squad should be available to help should you need it.”

“Yes, Captain,” Moblit said, and took his leave.

Hanji stared at Levi, pain and confusion in their gaze.

“Don’t speak unless it’s necessary,” Levi said. He gestured to their harness and shirt. “May I?”

Hanji only nodded. The captain moved gingerly, unfastening the chest strap and then the shoulder straps. He carefully unbuttoned their shirt, only stopping when he saw the bandages beneath their undershirt. 

“Why are you already bandaged?” he said. “They didn’t treat you out in the field. There’s no time for that.”

“Levi,” Hanji said, barely above a whisper. “I’ll explain later.”

He looked up to meet their brown eyes. Through the pain still clouding them, he saw a desperation that he didn’t understand. But he elected not to question it. “Understood,” he said. “These bandages have to come off, though. I think it would be easiest if I cut through the shirt and the bandages. You shouldn’t move if you don’t have to.” Levi held their gaze for a moment longer. “Is that okay?”

They nodded.

Levi turned to the small cabinet beside their bed and located gloves and a pair of medical scissors. “I’m going to cut up from your stomach. I’ll cut the shirt first. Don’t move.” 

Hanji stared at the ceiling as the captain cut the cloth.

“Now I’m going to cut the bandage.” Levi made careful, smaller cuts this time. There were multiple layers, and the distribution of the layers was uneven. “This is sloppy work,” he muttered. When the final cut was made, and he moved the material out of the way, he saw bruises on Hanji’s ribcage. “Did you bandage yourself?” 

“Am I bleeding?” Hanji asked. 

“Not externally,” Levi said. He brought the blanket up from the foot of the bed. “I’ll get a doctor to assess you. But they’re going to ask about the bandages.”

Hanji looked at him pleadingly. “Can you get rid of them?” It was a last resort. They figured he’d say no. Levi wouldn’t want to deal with used, sweaty bandages. But he was already wearing gloves.

Levi frowned. “Why?”

“Please.”

“You’ll explain later,” he said, echoing their promise.

They nodded.

“It’ll be easier if I sit you upright,” he said. 

“Go ahead,” Hanji said.

Levi put one arm around their shoulders and brought them up to a sitting position. With his free arm, he repositioned the pillow so they could lean upright against it. While still holding Hanji, he said, “I’m going to grab the bandages now.” And he did just that, reaching gingerly around their back. The bandages came loose with a gentle tug, and Levi propped Hanji onto their pillow.

“Thank you,” they said.

“I’m going to dispose of these,” he said, holding the bandages between his forefinger and his thumb. “And I’ll get a doctor to see you.”

Levi returned to the infirmary at his next free moment, which was after sunset. He found the section commander asleep, their glasses still on. After watching their chest rise and fall for a few moments, he removed their glasses and set them on top of the cabinet. 

A nurse saw him and approached from the other side of the bed. “Captain Levi.”

“How is Hanji?” he asked.

“Well off,” the nurse said. “Her injury is minor–”

Levi’s gaze snapped to the nurse. “What did you just say?”

“It’s a minor injury,” the nurse repeated. “She’ll recover in–”

“Section Commander Hanji Zoë,” Levi said, “is one of the best soldiers we have. You’d best learn to refer to _them_ correctly. Or _they_ will be moved to the Scouts Headquarters, and we will oversee _their_ treatment ourselves.”

The nurse’s eyes went wide. “It’s best not to move–”

“Learn how to refer to them properly, or I will personally cut out your tongue,” Levi said. “Understood?”

All of the color had drained from the nurse’s face. “Yes, sir,” she said, and she took her leave.

Levi stood beside their bed. Hanji looked undisturbed, their breathing still regular. “That’s why, isn’t it?” he said.

The following morning Levi was summoned to Erwin’s office after breakfast. As soon as he entered the commander’s office, he found it odd that no other soldiers were there. 

“Erwin,” Levi said. “What is this about? We don’t have another mission scheduled for weeks.”

“This doesn’t concern any mission,” Erwin said. “This only concerns you.”

“Oh?” Levi didn’t care for being caught off guard, but Erwin was the only one who seemed to be able to do so. 

“Take a seat,” Erwin said, and Levi did. “I received a complaint this morning that you have been terrorizing the nurses in the infirmary.”

“Tch.” Levi looked away. “That’s an exaggeration.”

“You didn’t threaten to cut out a nurse’s tongue?” Erwin asked. 

“No, that part is true,” Levi said. “It was only one nurse though. She referred to Hanji incorrectly. Twice.”

Erwin’s brows furrowed. 

“I am led to believe that people outside of the Scouts don’t know how to refer to Hanji,” Levi said. “Which is ridiculous, because it’s not like their research isn’t. . . infamous.”

“That may be the case,” Erwin said. “Though people outside of the Scouts may not have encountered anyone like Hanji.”

“What?” Levi said, frowning. “There are definitely people like Hanji. I knew a couple. In the underground.”

“I see,” Erwin said, processing that information. “Regardless, some people may have a steeper learning curve than others. Perhaps keep the threats to a minimum in the future.”

“Threats can be very effective,” Levi said. When Erwin only held his gaze, Levi conceded. “Fine. Understood.”

Erwin nodded. “Dismissed.”

Levi started to head out of the room. Before he reached the door, he stopped. Turning back, he asked, “One request, Commander?”

“What is it?” Erwin asked. 

“I would like to take temporary leave in the time we have before the next mission,” Levi said. “I have errands to take care of in the interior.”

Erwin regarded his captain, but Levi said nothing more. “Granted,” Erwin said. “You are required to give two days notice before you leave. How long do you expect to be gone?”

“A few days,” Levi answered. “A week at most.”

Levi was willing to let Erwin make whatever assumptions he wanted about his trip to the interior. It wasn’t a personal errand– well, it wasn’t for him, but it wasn’t exactly business, either. He visited Hanji once before his departure to ask of the doctors they knew in the interior. They could only provide him with a couple names, but it was a start.

“You could always talk to the military police,” Hanji said. “Nile definitely would know all of the best doctors. He takes care of his own.”

Levi nodded, though he didn’t care to let the commander of the military police know that he was visiting the interior.

“Why do you ask?” they said.

“Consider it a sort of research project,” he said. Their eyes lit up, and he almost told them right then and there why he was going. But he didn’t want to get their hopes up. “I’ll fill you in if the results pan out.”

“Taking a page from Erwin’s book?” they asked. 

“It’ll only take a few days,” Levi said. He stood up, readying himself to leave.

“Hey,” Hanji said, looking at him with a softness in their eyes. “Erwin told me. Thanks.”

“It was nothing,” Levi said. He took his leave, hoping they hadn’t seen any color rise to his face. 

His first full day in the interior was useless. He’d decided to get dealing with the Military Police out of the way, and so he’d gone to their doctors. The two he spoke with seemed to not understand the idea of a non-emergency surgery. Not when the words came from a Scout. Both doctors also assumed the surgery was something he himself sought out, no matter how he tried to convince them otherwise. (He didn’t do a good job of it. The only thing he did was get cryptic when the questions got invasive.)

The next day, Nile requested to see him, and immediately asked why he was in the interior, and why he saw fit to harass Military Police medical personnel. Levi explained calmly that he was looking for a doctor who performed non-emergency surgeries. “I have a friend whose well-being would improve greatly with such a surgery,” he said. “But false hope would be worse.”

Surprisingly, Nile directed him to his family doctor. “I don’t think he does these surgeries,” Nile said. “But he would know people who do.”

“It’s possible, then?” Levi asked.

“You haven’t explained what sort of surgery, but yes, there are doctors that do that sort of thing,” Nile answered.

What other lead did Levi have? He found Nile's family doctor, Dr. Everett, who directed him to his cousin, a man named Axel. Levi arrived at Dr. Axel’s practice after night had fallen. That was fine, he’d inquire in the morning. That night, Levi didn’t sleep easily, but that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. If anything, he slept worse when away from the headquarters. But what if the information he learned was only the impossibility of any such surgery? No, that couldn’t be right. Johan had never told Levi how they got their scars, but he hadn’t thought to ask. It had been the underground, after all. Most people had scars.

Levi arrived in the morning, out of uniform, but with a loaf of bread to gift. Thankfully, the doctor accepted and allowed him in. “I have some time before my first appointment,” Dr. Axel said.

“You have my gratitude,” Levi said. “This won’t take long.”

“What brings you here?” the doctor asked.

Levi explained about the non-emergency surgery, how it wasn’t even medically necessary in the technical sense, and that he understood if his inquiries sounded ludicrous. Dr. Axel was much more patient than any military doctor he had dealt with. The doctor asked Levi about whom he was inquiring for, and didn’t press when Levi refused to give any information that wasn’t absolutely necessary. The questioning turned towards the type of surgery, and Levi described the scars he had seen on Johan’s chest, running almost parallel to their ribs.

“Is it possible?” Levi asked. 

“Oh, yes,” Dr. Axel said immediately. “In fact, I have performed that surgery before. On a young man. His body didn’t quite fit him, if you understand what that means. It seems like you do.”

“Yes,” Levi said, breathing a sigh of relief. “That was all I needed to know. Thank you.”

The doctor smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Levi left the interior immediately following his meeting with Dr. Axel. From the interior out to the Scout Headquarters was usually two days, even when travelling alone, but he could make it there in one day if he caught the right ferry and was able to get a fresh horse. The timing of the boat was in his favor, and all it took to get a horse was to throw on his Scouts hood. He arrived at headquarters close to midnight, and rode straight to the infirmary. Hanji might not be awake, but he wasn’t thinking about that.

“Levi,” Hanji said when they saw him. “When did you get back? You seem out of breath. Did you just get here?”

He nodded and sat down on the foot of their bed.

“I realized before you left,” they said, “that I didn’t explain about the bandages or why I asked you to get rid of them.”

“I figured it out,” Levi said. “To flatten your chest, right?”

Hanji nodded. “And you don’t have any questions about that?” they asked slowly. 

“No,” he said. “It makes sense.”

Hanji watched him, their eyes narrowing. “Makes sense?” they echoed. “That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

“I have information that I think you’ll want to hear,” he said.

Hanji raised their eyebrows. “From your trip?”

“I talked to a doctor in the interior,” Levi said. “There’s a type of surgery that you could have done. To flatten your chest permanently.”

They broke eye contact. “A type of surgery,” Hanji repeated slowly. When they met Levi’s gaze again, they said, “Was that why you went?”

“Yeah,” Levi said. “We can’t have you going on missions and getting injured like this again.”

“Right,” they murmured. 

**Author's Note:**

> Saw some fan comics on tumblr about Levi immediately respecting nonbinary Hanji and I had to write this
> 
> (no beta reader, if you see an error lemme know. pls & thanks!)


End file.
